Love Is Not Lost
by lestrangexoxo
Summary: This is a story about Draco Malfoy, and how he came to meet Astoria Greengrass. It takes place during the last book Deathly Hallows which I haven't actually read, but I've read all the others, so any events I put into this probably didn't happen.
1. Business As Usual?

Clouds gathered in the sky, as lightening bolts echoed across the countryside. Draco Malfoy was on a mission. Rain soaked through his hair, but he barely noticed. He had been walking for around half an hour, wrestling with his consience. He hated what his life had become. Constantly running around after different people, most of them with some connection to the Order of the Phoenix, and in most circumstances, torturing them until they gave the information required, or died. There was barely anything left of his soul, he'd heard the pained screams of people as they were tortured, and seen others take their last pained breath as their loyalty came before their life. A tear slipped down his cheek. He brushed it away with force. This job was no different.

"Sir, is it this one?" Conrad asked him. Draco had almost forgotten that he wasn't alone. He ranked higher than Justin Conrad, but he had been asigned him as his partner. Sometimes he became glad that he only ever worked alone or in a pair, he'd hate to be a part of the massive mobs of Death Eaters. He knew what it was like to watch, and it was scary. The memory never left him.

"Yes." Draco stared up at the house. It was a bungalow, detatched, with a small over-grown garden. He sighed, as he pulled out the message parchment from his robes. _Melissa Greengrass, Order of the Phoenix spy. Torture until information is given. If no such information is given, dispose of her._ He shoved it back into his pocket in disgust, not wanting to even look at it.

Conrad followed him up the pathway, and to the door. He counted to five before he unlocked the door with his wand, and quietly made his way into the hallway. There was no other noise. He slowly crept through an open door into one of the bedrooms. Not a sound there either. A bed was pushed against the wall, a book lying across the covers; _Advanced Transfiguration: N.E.W.T Level_. Draco's stomach turned. There was someone else living here; someone his age. His eyes darted around the room, taking in his surroundings. Posters on the walls of some rock bands, books thrown over the desk, robes hanging up… a red and gold badge on the chest of them. His eyes widened, as he saw something else, a cage… empty.

"Conrad," He commanded.

"Sir?" Conrad appeared by his side.

"Check the rest of the house." Draco told him. Conrad disappeared to investigate the rest of the house.

Draco approached the cage. He stood in front of it. He slowly pulled his wand out from his robes and whispered the incantation. The cage disappeared, and in it's place, a girl sat at the desk, fear shooting through her electric blue eyes. She had shoulder length brown hair, dark, and fringe swept across her face. She tried to blink back tears of fright, but was unsuccessful. She held her ground.

Suddenly she bolted over the desk, her wand aimed at Draco's chest.

"Don't come any c-closer… I'm armed!" She warned him, her hand shaking as her finger gripped around her wand. Draco clicked his fingers and the mask over his face evaporated. He felt pity on the girl, she was his own age, it would be like killing one of his classmates, and he wasn't sure he could bring himself to do it.

"W-why are you doing that? You're not supposed to do that…" She stammered, her harsh glare lightening slightly.

"Where's your mother?" He asked her, wasting no time. She said nothing. "Where is she?" He growled.

"Why should I tell you?" The hatred returned in her face, and she kept her wand securely pointed at his chest.

"Because if you don't, I'm going to have to do something I really don't want to do," He explained heatedly. "And I'd lower that if I were you. If you hadn't noticed, I'm not pointing mine at you."

She considered this for a moment, before lowering her wand. "I don't know where she is. I thought she'd been killed by _your lot_," She said it with such disgust and pure hatred that it made Draco shudder.

"Well, she hasn't…" He paused, not really sure how to phrase his next sentence.

"No, that was your job, I suppose," She said through gritted teeth. "Proud of yourself are you?"

Draco glared at her, his cold eyes freezing through her. "No." He said indignantly.

"Sir," Conrad called from the hallway, Draco shot around and met him in the doorway. "Sir, she's not here."

"Check again." He ordered.

"But, sir-"

"_Check again!_" He repeated, but louder. Conrad nodded and set off in the direction he'd just come from. Draco entered the room again. The girl hadn't moved, but her expression seemed very surprised.

"What's your name?" Draco asked her, his voice softer than it had been in a long time.

"Astoria," She replied. "What's yours?"

"Promise you won't turn me in?" He asked her, coming closer. She nodded. "I'm Draco."


	2. Permission Granted

"Why are you doing this?" Astoria asked him, not wanting hope to consume her falsely.

"Because I should," Draco replied.

"But…" She glanced towards her robes and the tie on the floor. "You wouldn't if this was at school." She stated, her voice quieter.

"I know," Draco answered, glancing down at the robes. _Whoever Gryffindor was, he best be proud, because Slytherin sure as Hell is not._ He held out his hand. She didn't take it instantly, but after a moment, she began to trust him.

"What about the other guy?" She asked, as Draco lead her through the hallway.

"I'll deal with him. I'm his boss, he has to do what I tell him," Draco explained, opening the door for her. "Wait behind that bush, I promise I'll be back in a few minutes,"

Draco entered the house again. He apparated quickly to the Headquarters. He appeared in Hamilton Flagrin's office. The man peered at him over a piece of parchment his was writing.

"Ah, Draco, I was expecting you," Flagrin gestured towards a seat opposite the desk. "Did you find Greengrass?"

"No, she wasn't there," He informed him. "That's what I wanted to ask you about," He paused, his head rushing in a frenzy to find the best cover story to tell.

"Go on," Flagrin ushered him to continue.

Draco cleared his throat. "I have reason to believe she's coming back," He lied. "And I wanted to ask your permission to set up a small stake-out at the house, for when she returns,"

Flagrin considered this, stroking his short black beard. He nodded slowly. "Okay, how many does a 'small stake-out' require?"

"Oh, I'm sure I'll manage, I've got Conrad," Draco explained, relieved he'd been granted the opportunity to help Astoria.

"Yes, I'd been meaning to ask you, how's the boy doing?" Flagrin questioned him. Justin Conrad was only probationary, he wasn't actually a part of it yet. Draco had resisted the urge to tell him to get out while he still could, although that would be wishful thinking by that point. If Conrad failed now, he'd be killed, he knew too much already.

"He's doing well," Draco nodded. "He works hard, very driven, he's a good man." Flagrin smiled back.

"Continue with your stake-out, contact me when Greengrass returns," Flagrin dismissed him and went back to the paperwork.


	3. Turn Of Events

Draco glanced around the small garden back at the house. Astoria was nowhere in sight. _If she's run now…_ He thought, panic starting to flood through him. What if she'd run to the Ministry? They'd send him to Azkaban for sure.

A robin chirped from the bush. The robin transfigured back into Astoria, as she flicked her dark hair back over one shoulder. She smiled.

"That was amazing!" Draco commented, looking her up and down. He knew people could do that, but he'd always envied them. Out of everything, transfiguration was something he really could not do.

"Thanks," She giggled, putting her wand back into her jeans pocket. "So what happens now?" She asked, suddenly serious again.

Draco came closer to her to explain. "I asked if I could set up a stake-out here, just me and Conrad, so you can stay here for a while, and no one will come by. After that I'll pull some strings to get you sent somewhere safe, okay?"

She nodded, slightly glumly. "How long will the stake-out be?"

He thought for a moment. "No longer than a fortnight," He replied. "They're not exactly known for patience." She nodded again, and followed him back inside.

Conrad stood in the hallway, confused as Draco walked back inside, followed by Astoria. To Conrad she could have been anyone, but by the look in her eyes, he knew she wasn't just anyone. She was on the other team. She supported _them_. He glared at her, anger boiling in his eyes. What was Malfoy doing? Had he changed sides now?

"Sir?" Conrad tried to keep his voice calm and polite. His job hung with this man, if he was even the slightest bit out of line, he could be killed.

"Conrad. We need to talk," Draco told him. He turned back to Astoria, kindness returning to his cold eyes. "I'll be straight back," She glanced at Conrad, disbelieving of how anyone like him would change their minds. "I'll deal with him. I promise." Draco smiled back at her. She nodded and walked back into her bedroom.

"Sir, what are you doing?" Conrad approached him. "Don't think I don't know who she is!" He exlaimed heatedly.

"Who is she?" Draco asked him instantly.

"She's… she's… she works for them, right? She's on their side." Conrad replied, mostly guesswork, but based on gut instinct.

"Really?" Draco sighed. "Tell me something Conrad; do you want to do what's right?"

"Of course! That's why I'm with this, the force, mudbloods are scum." He spat. There was a whimper from behind the door. Draco glared back at Conrad.

"Watch your language," He commanded him forcefully.

"Apologies, sir," He bowed his head slightly. Draco nodded.

He continued. "Do you want to what's right morally? Not by what's written down, or what's told to you by a higher voice?" Conrad stared back at him. His expression empty. "Do you want to help someone who needs your help, a friend?" Conrad's lips curved to a small smile.

"Or do you want to stay as submissive slave? Risking everything for something you are forced to believe in, without any just reason?" Draco said, putting all the emotion he could manage into this.

"Sir," Conrad looked up, back at his superior. "I want to help, sir," He replied.


End file.
